2009 Ford KA Review
Cars UK Rating: 
Well, it’s been a long time coming. But finally Ford has launched the New Ford KA.
Ford has a lot to live up to with the new KA. The old KA was such a success, for so long, it’s a hard act to follow. But it has a great starting point - it’s built on the same architecture as the Fiat 500 - the car in the class.
2009 Ford KA Exterior
Ford claims its KA buyers are the happiest Ford buyers. That may say more about the profile of the old KA driver than the car, but it gives the new KA a lot to live up to. So how does it stack up?
Available initially with a couple of Fiat engines - a 1.2 petrol and a 1.3 diesel - and a selection of four trim levels - Studio, Style, Style+ and Zetec, the Ford KA is priced to sell, with prices starting at under £8,000 - cheaper than the entry level Fiat 500.
So what has the new KA got to offer - apart from being a cute, and stylish city car?
Quality and Comfort
Ford has managed over recent years to offer very high quality cars for the money. The Mondeo is a case in point - if it had a BMW badge it would be praised to the rafters. So what about this, the baby Ford? Well, cost restraints mean that the interior quality is not quite up to that of the Fiesta, but it still has a quality feel about it. It’s a good place to sit, and the interior feels fresh and modern.
Interior view of the 2009 Ford KA
However well-packaged it is, putting a six-foot teenager behind a full-sized driver is not really an option. But the KA does feel spacious, and offers a decent amount of room for a city car.
But keeping the price down has meant skimping on goodies. The base model (the Studio) gets just a couple of air-bags and a stereo. That’s about it. Want electric windows and a heated screen? Then you’ll need the Style for another £500. Want some proper toys? Well, you’ll have to buy the Zetec to get all the basic goodies, and that will cost you £1500 more.
And for a really good spec, regardless of the model, you can spend thousands on options.
On the Road
The old KA was never brilliant to drive, but it wasn’t bad at all. But the new KA really is in a different league, not just to the old KA, but to pretty much every other city car on the market.
The ride is much better damped than in the old KA, and its responses are really sharp. It’s not phased by wet roads or sudden changes of direction. This really is a crackingly well set-up car. There is a bit of understeer, as you would expect in a small, front-wheel drive car, but it all works really well.
The two engines, the petrol and diesel, offer similar amounts of performance. The diesel does have more torque, and therefore more ‘pull’, but the petrol engine is the star’ here. Responsive, lively and happy to rev, it’s by far the better option.
Running Costs
As you would expect, both the diesel and the petrol engine are economical. The petrol car has a 55mpg
Rear view of the 2009 Ford KA
average, whilst the diesel comes in at 67mpg. But in the real world that probably translates to mid and high 40s respectively. But the diesel car comes at a £700 premium and frankly, unless you are a very high mileage motorist, the additional cost of diesel, and the relatively small real-world difference in fuel consumption, makes the petrol car the better buy. The petrol car is also nicer to drive.
Residual values were always a weak point with Ford. Too many KAs and Fiestas were sold out as courtesy cars and rental cars in the past, ensuring a cheaper image and lower residuals. But Ford is working hard to make the fleet market a much smaller part of its business, concentrating instead on real-world customers. That bodes well for the KA’s residuals which, although not bad in the past, should be significantly strengthened by this re-focus in the end-user.
Verdict
This is a cracking little car. Yes, it’s low headline price does show in the quality of some of it parts, but it’s stylish, economical and well thought out. We live and work in the heart of ‘Ford Exec’ land here, and we’ve seen a fair few of these new KAs knocking around. They look good on the road and despite some of the slightly off-the-wall colours (or maybe because of) they do stand out.
Cars UK Rating: A good buy.
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